FIELD TRIPS
Options Overview
| Date | Field Trip | Per person price including GST. (not including conference registration fee). |
| Monday 24 November | The Auckland Volcanic Field through a Different Lens | $100 pp TBC |
| Friday 28 November | Epithermal mineral deposits of
the Coromandel Volcanic Zone | $50 pp TBC |
| Friday 28 November | Fossil highlights of the Port Waikato Region | $80 pp TBC |
| Friday 28 November | Geological Tour of Motukorea/Brown's Island by Sea Kayak (Please CLICK HERE to book as bookings cannot be made through the registration form) | $159 pp (excl. Public Transport to and from meeting point) |
| Friday 28 November | Rangitoto Revealed!: Insights into Volcanic Hazard and Risk in the Auckland Volcanic Field | $75 pp (incl. ferry ticket) |
The Auckland Volcanic Field through a Different Lens
Leaders: Jan Lindsay, Sylvia Tapuke (University of Auckland)Level of Fitness Required: Moderate fitness - involves walking around two volcanic craters.
Date: Monday 24th November, 8.45am to 4.30pm
Cost: $100 TBC (Please note: lunch is not included and you need to arrange your own food and drink for the day)
Pick up: Cnr Princes and Alfred Streets on Campus, 8:45am.
Drop off: Cnr Princes and Alfred Streets on Campus, 4:30pm.
In this fieldtrip we will visit two tūpuna maunga, Te Pane o Mataoho/Māngere Mountain and Maungawhau/Mount Eden volcanoes in the Auckland Volcanic Field and discover aspects of their cultural significance to Māori. A guided walk at Te Pane o Mataoho will explore its archaeological and volcanological history. A visit to the Centre’s māra kai (food gardens) and nearby ngahere (forest) will shed light on traditional Māori gardening and Rongoā Māori (natural medicines), respectively. We will also visit Te Ipu Kōrero o Maungawhau/the Maungawhau Visitor Experience Centre (and associated Friend & Whau Café) at the summit of Maungawhau.
A list of potential stops:
1) Te Pane o Mataoho/Māngere Mountain
2) Maungawhau/Mt Eden summit
Additional Information:
- Participants should bring raincoat, water bottle, lunch and snacks
Maximum number of participants: 45
Minimum number of participants: 20
If you have any questions about this Field Trip, please contact Jan Lindsay (University of Auckland)
Epithermal Mineral Deposits of the Coromandel Volcanic Zone
Leaders: Ayrton Hamilton (University of Auckland)Level of Fitness Required: Moderate.
Date: Friday 28th November, 8.00am to 5.00pm
Cost: $50 TBC (Please note: lunch is not included and you need to arrange your own food and drink for the day)
Pick up: 8:00am, University of Auckland - exact location tbc.
Drop off: 5:00pm
This field trip will explore the geological history and mineral deposits of the Coromandel Volcanic Zone. The field trip will look at the minerals, structural and physical changes of host rocks that contain epithermal deposits formed by hydrothermal alteration. The participants will walk through the alteration zones of the Karangahake deposit and visiting the Waihi Gold mine.
A list of potential stops:
1) Karangahake Gorge
2) Waihi Goldmine
Maximum number of participants: 20
Minimum number of participants: 5
If you have any questions about this Field Trip, please contact Ayrton Hamilton (University of Auckland)
Fossil highlights of the Port Waikato Region
Leaders: Nathan Collins (University of Auckland)Level of Fitness Required: Moderate. Up to 3.5 km walk over farmland and dunes.
Date: Friday 28th November, 7.30am to 5.30pm
Cost: $80 TBC (Please note: lunch is not included and you need to arrange your own food and drink for the day)
Pick up: From University of Auckland Science Centre, Ground Floor Atrium 7.30 am.
Drop off: At University of Auckland 5:30pm. Airport drop offs can be arranged for between 4 and 5pm.
This field trip explores some of the most significant fossil localities in the Port Waikato region, spanning from the Jurassic to the Early Pliocene. The highlight is the renowned Kaawa Creek section, which hosts the only major surface exposure of Pliocene fauna in the upper North Island. These fossils are broadly comparable to the mid-Pliocene assemblages uncovered at Mangere during the construction of Watercare's Central Interceptor Project in 2021.
Additional stops include the Wairiri phosphatic cast beds (Early Miocene), Jurassic plant fossil sites, and notable Oligocene exposures that also served as filming locations for The Lord of the Rings. As most sites are on private land, this trip offers a rare opportunity to access and examine a diverse range of fossil localities across an extensive geological timespan.
A list of potential stops:
1) Kaawa Creek fossil beds, Megacardita beds and view of Ngatutura Cove volcanics and spectacular basaltic columns.
2) Waiwiri Phosphatic Cast Bed and Oligocene limestones/Lord of the Rings filming locations.
3) Huriwai plant beds and Waikato River mouth if time and tides allow.
Additional Information:
Lunch is not provided. Please bring water and food you wish to consume along the way. We will stop for lunch at the Nikau Caves Cafe for lunch and the Port Waikato general store in the afternoon.
Good sturdy walking shoes are essential.
The west coast is notoriously windy and weather can be unpredictable. Bring plenty of layers and a rain jacket.
Rock hammer if you wish to collect fossils.
Maximum number of participants: 29
Minimum number of participants: 15
If you have any questions about this Field Trip, please contact Nathan Collins (University of Auckland)Geological tour of
Motukorea/Brown's Island by sea kayak
Leaders: Michael Rowe (University of Auckland)Level of Fitness Required: Moderate to high. Must be able to kayak for roughly 1 hour each way and walk-up uneven surfaces.
Date: Friday 28th November, 8.00 from Auckland Museum or 8.30am from the boat ramp. Finish at approx 1.00pm.
Cost: $159 (excl. public transport)
Free Transport Service: Auckland Sea Kayaks offers a complimentary pickup at 8.00am from Auckland Museum which can be booked with your direct booking. Return drop-off service back to the museum also provided after the trip.
Meeting Point: Kayaks depart at 8:30am from St Heliers Bay Central Boat Ramp, 384 Tamaki Drive. The Tamaki Link bus service stops right outside the boat ramp. This bus leaves every 15 minutes from Stop 7019 - Britomart Commerce Street. Alight at Stop 7342 - Vellenoweth Green.
Drop off: Tour lasts roughly 4 hours and returns to the St Heliers boat ramp by 1 pm. Catch the Tamaki Link bus back to the city centre.
Motukorea/Browns Island is a small island in the Hauraki Gulf and is one of the best-preserved volcanoes in the Late Pleistocene Auckland Volcanic Field. This field trip offers a unique opportunity to explore Motukorea’s diverse volcanic geology, both by sea kayak and through on-land exposures.
Motukorea is significant as the type locality for Motukoreaite—a rare, white, talc-like alteration mineral. It is one of only a few minerals first named and described in New Zealand.
Motukorea also has a rich history of Polynesian and European occupation. Centuries of cultivation have reduced tree cover, leaving both geological and archaeological features easily visible at the surface.
A list of potential stops:
1) Crater Bay tuff exposure
2) Scoria cone summit
3) Collapsed lava cave
4) Motukoreaite type locality
5) Lava flow exposures
6) Several Māori and European archaeological sites
Additional Information:
- Morning tea is provided but you may want to bring additional snacks to have along the way. There are no shops on the island, and you must take all rubbish back to the mainland.
- Please bring a water bottle, sun protection, sunglasses and a hat, shorts or leggings, walking shoes, warm clothing and rain jacket in case of rain, and a waterproof bag to protect valuables like keys, wallet, phone etc.
- Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements to pass on to the catering service.
- Street parking is also plentiful near the boat ramp.
- For further information click here: Auckland Sea Kayaks
Maximum number of participants: 24
Minimum number of participants: 6
If you have any questions about this Field Trip, please contact Michael Rowe (University of Auckland)
Rangitoto Revealed!: Insights into Volcanic
Hazard and Risk in the Auckland Volcanic Field
Leaders: Elaine Smid, Annahlise Hall, Meegan Soulsby (University of Auckland).Level of Fitness Required: Moderate fitness required due to very uneven, rocky surfaces and a ~10 km round trip hike with some steeper areas/stairs.
Date: Friday 28th November, 9.00am to approx 4.00pm.
Cost: $75 (incl. ferry ticket) (Please note: lunch is not included and you need to arrange your own food and drink for the day)
Pick up: 9:00am in front of Pier 13, 117 Quay Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010.
Drop off: ~4:00pm near the Auckland Downtown Ferry Building.
In this field trip to Rangitoto Volcano, the Determining Volcanic Risk in Auckland (DEVORA) research assistant team will summarise what we know about volcanism and magmatism in the potentially active Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF), as well as the hazard posed by the field to the city of Auckland, New Zealand, as viewed through the lens of the AVF’s youngest volcano. After traveling by ferry, we will examine the field’s most recent volcanic deposits and discuss our observations in the context of hazard and risk, detailing how we are using our findings to prepare for the next eruption in Auckland.
A list of potential stops:
1) A scenic ferry ride across the Waitematā Harbour, which offers views of the city skyline and harbour volcanoes.
2) Interesting lava flow and pyroclastic deposit features.
3) The Rangitoto summit, summit crater, and city overlook.
4) RBAZ seismometer station and site of the 2014 drillhole.
5) Lava tubes (time permitting).
Additional Information:
- Attendees MUST BRING: their own lunch, and at least 2L water. ALL FOOD MUST BE CONTAINED (e.g. within a zippered backpack or pouch, ziplock or sealed food container) as Rangitoto is a pest-free island. Torch (headlamp/handless recommended) for lava tubes. Sun protection (hat, sunscreen). Pack a raincoat if rain is forecasted. Closed-toe shoes with ankle support are highly recommended.
- Once on the island, there is a toilet block at Rangitoto wharf and longdrops the end of the boardwalk near the summit only. There is little shade along the main trail and sunny days can get very hot, so water/hydration is essential. The island is home to wasps so beware if you are allergic.
All food, water, and rubbish must be packed in and out as there are no rubbish bins or food/drink available on the island.
Our target lava tube for the trip is wide and does not require any tight squeezes, but may require ducking down in a few spots, especially for tall humans.
Before the field trip, you are responsible for letting the field trip leaders know of any allergies, health conditions, and how to treat your condition or allergy flare up (e.g. symptoms to look out for, where you keep your EpiPen, inhaler, or other medications).
The field trip will be cancelled if severe weather is forecast or the ferry is not running, however, the ferry tickets will need to be bought in advance and are non-refundable for the participants.
DEVORA is co-led by Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland and Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly GNS Science) and is supported by the Natural Hazards Commission and Auckland Council.
Maximum number of participants: 30
Minimum number of participants: 10
If you have any questions about this Field Trip, please contact Elaine Smid (University of Auckland)
Conference Organisers
Conferences & Events LtdConference Manager: Ali Howard
+64 4 384 1511
This event is organised by Conferences & Events Ltd. We are a New Zealand business.